I was sad to hear that Gary Thrasher passed away a few weeks ago. I never met Thrasher, but I extend my sincere condolences to his family and friends, all the same.

Part of the reason is that I heard he died of cancer, which has been a nightmare for my family, and many other people I know.

But I also feel a particular sorrow because I believe that Gary, along with his brother Hoby, have made very special contributions to the culture of Muskegon County.

By that, I mean the culinary culture. As someone who eats out a lot, I know very well how bland the restaurant scene has been for years in our community. And I can only imagine how dreadful it would be without the creative contributions of the Thrasher brothers.

One or the other of the Thrashers were responsible for the creation of many notable eateries over the years, including the Sardine Room, Hobo's, Racquet's, Someplace Else, Nawlins, Handsome Henry's, Docker's, Topo's, Mangos, 750 Grill, Tipsy Toad and Bonicki's.

Not all of those restaurant/bars were fancy, but they all offered something a little different than the normal fare, with unique atmospheres. And many of them were passed on to subsequent owners who kept them going, and in some cases improved them.

But the Thrashers deserve credit for getting them off the ground. Hoby Thrasher, in particular, is noted for getting his very cool restaurants started then selling them off a few years later.

I'm just glad he starts them and gives them a chance to survive. Everybody who appreciates a nice meal at a decent restaurant should be thankful for the Thrashers' presence.

My personal favorite, at least for dining, was the Sardine Room. Anyone who went there was amazed at how Hoby Thrasher turned a tiny former pizza joint into a very nice little bistro complete with a cozy fireplace and upscale menu. The martinis at Sardine Room were out of this world. I was sad to see it fold a few years ago.

I'm not suggesting that the Thrashers have a monopoly on quality dining in Muskegon County. There are certainly other really cool places to eat, including my current favorite, the Hearthstone. The problem is that there aren't enough of them.

We really don't have enough of anything around here when it comes to restaurant variety. That includes everyday restaurant chains like I-HOP, Boston Market, Culver's, Steak N Shake, Hardees, Sonic, TGI Friday's, Outback, Cracker Barrel or Bennigan's. We don't even have a Denny's or a Big Boy anymore. You see these places in large and small communities all over West Michigan, but for some reason not in Muskegon County.

Not long ago a friend and I had to go to Indianapolis for a business trip, and we noticed a Steak N Shake nearby. We sat and gorged for more than an hour, ordering several more items than we planned to eat.

It was just so nice to have something different for dinner, even within the realm of hamburger joints.

Why do so many of the better chain restaurants avoid our town like the plague? Don't enough of us dine out to make it profitable for them?

I don't think that's the problem. I see lots of people eating out around Muskegon, every night of the week. And I can't help but notice the extra weight on a lot of typical Muskegon folks (including myself). I get the impression we eat more than enough, at home and in restaurants.

The problem, I suspect, has more to do with our community's extremely basic taste in food.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, do a quick mental inventory of all the McDonald's, Burger Kings and Taco Bells in Muskegon County.

A friend and I sat over a beer and counted them in our heads the other night. We came up with a total of 16, including 10 McDonalds. That means we consume more than our share of Big Macs, Whoppers and Nacho Supremes over the course of a year. My apologies to Ronald and the King, but does it get any more basic — or boring — than that?

It's obvious that we're a fast food type of town, but not creative fast food. If it doesn't come in a value meal, or sit under a heat lamp for at least 20 minutes, we seemingly have no interest.

And let's not forget our obvious fascination with our many all-you-can-eat troughs. I have a friend from another state who used to visit Muskegon on a regular basis. She said she never needed a road map, she just followed the buffet billboards.

In any case, I just want to put out a call to potential restaurant owners who are thinking about starting a new eatery somewhere in West Michigan. Muskegon has plenty of holes to fill on its dining roster, and plenty of people who like to eat.

Please give us a chance to learn to enjoy food that doesn't come in cardboard boxes with a "super size" option. Perhaps if we're exposed to something a little more sophisticated, we might just develop some taste.